Warning of roundabout risks

Sergeant Wayne Hunter.

A dangerous new driving habit has emerged at one of the city's busiest roundabouts - and police say it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.

The roundabout at the intersection of Girven Rd, Matapihi Rd and Maunganui Rd has become a hot-spot for crashes and near misses as impatient motorists attempt to shave time off their daily commute. Officers carried out a sting at the roundabout yesterday after a series of complaints from motorists who had been cut off by drivers using the wrong lane to turn right on to Maunganui Rd from Girven Rd.

New Zealand Agency Transport figures from 2010 showed an average of 28,720 vehicles passing through the intersection each day.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing Sergeant Wayne Hunter said some motorists were using Girven Rd's left turning or straight ahead only lane to turn right onto Maunganui Rd.

They then cut in and continued around the roundabout. Drivers waiting on Matapihi Rd assumed cars in the left lane were heading to Matapihi but were often surprised to find cars continuing on through to the Maunganui Rd exit.

Collisions had almost occurred as a result, he said.

Yesterday, police issued 12 tickets between 7.30am and 8.45am. Mr Hunter said he counted 25 other motorists carrying out the dangerous manoeuvre but they were unable to fine these drivers because they were already dealing with others.

Mr Hunter said most of the drivers police stopped yesterday morning said they knew they were not allowed to use the left lane "but said they did not want to wait in the long queue in the right lane so always did this every morning".

Mr Hunter said police were also aware of many crashes that went unreported. "Someone's going to get injured," he said. "All it needs is for a truck coming out of Matapihi Rd then a car into the side of it and it could be quite different."

At Owens Place, Zone Cafe owner Jenny Fraser said she arrived at work early and did not experience much bother at the roundabout but she knew of many people who did. "A lot of my older customers won't even use it if they don't have to. They're too scared to," she said.

Lighting Plus Mount Maunganui manager Brent Smith uses the roundabout at peak times and said the cars travelled "pretty swiftly".

As a result, other traffic had to be quite quick to avoid collision, he said. "It's not good, especially when it's wet and dark it can be quite tricky. Then you've got overly cautious drivers that just don't go. It's a bit of a nightmare."

Police plan to continue targeting the roundabout until drivers changed their behaviour.